Association of Membranous WNT-1 and Nuclear mTOR with Endometrial Cancer Grade

Endometrial cancer remains a common cancer affecting the female reproductive system. There is still a need for more efficient ways of determining the degree of malignancy and optimizing treatment. WNT and mTOR are components of signaling pathways within tumor cells, and dysfunction of either protein is associated with the pathogenesis of neoplasms. Therefore, the aim of our study was to assess the impact of subcellular WNT-1 and mTOR levels on the clinical course of endometrial cancer. WNT-1 and mTOR levels in the plasma membrane, nucleus, and cytoplasm were evaluated using immunohistochemical staining in a group of 64 patients with endometrial cancer of grades 1-3 and FIGO stages I-IV. We discovered that the levels of WNT-1 and mTOR expression in the cellular compartments were associated with tumor grade and staging. Membranous WNT-1 was negatively associated, whereas cytoplasmic WNT-1 and nuclear mTOR were positively associated with higher grading of endometrial cancer. Furthermore, nuclear mTOR was positively associated with FIGO stages IB-IV. To conclude, we found that the assessment of WNT-1 in the cell membrane may be useful for exclusion of grade 3 neoplasms, whereas cytoplasmic WNT-1 and nuclear mTOR may be used as indicators for confirmation of grade 3 neoplasms.

Automated summary

Endometrial cancer, a common cancer in females, requires more efficient methods to determine malignancy and optimize treatment. The study aimed to evaluate the impact of subcellular WNT-1 and mTOR levels on the clinical course of endometrial cancer. The levels of WNT-1 and mTOR in different cellular compartments were assessed in 64 patients with endometrial cancer of varying grades and stages. The results showed associations between WNT-1 and mTOR expression levels and tumor grade and staging, with membranous WNT-1 being negatively associated and cytoplasmic WNT-1 and nuclear mTOR being positively associated with higher grades of endometrial cancer, especially nuclear mTOR with FIGO stages IB-IV.